Waking up to the loud ringing in his ears, Makoto sits up in a fully furnished room. Not wanting to waste time, Makoto dashes out of the room only to be met with a harsh bright light of a metal sky. He takes in his surrounds, a massive hub area of people from all over the world.
The sky replaced with a metal dome and the sun replaced with a large artificial light. Shops, homes, and small communities fill the area. Makoto turns his head over to the biggest building in the center of the hub and thinks for a second.
"I can't wrap my head around this... In anime, the people with the biggest buildings are usually the ones responsible so I know where I have to go." Makoto thinks. Makoto runs to the building and kicks open the door to find Akari sitting as a woman is in the middle of her sentence. "Oh, you woke up! It's nice to meet you!" She says.
"What's happening, why the hell did you even knock me out? What's the goal here?" Makoto asks. "Honestly even I don't know, I just woke up and just got escorted here so..." Akari explains.
"Then let me explain it for you, just to catch you up to speed!" She declares, pulling out a projector and turning off the lights. "Welcome to your new home in here! Formally, these places are just called The Halls. While they bare a resemblance to a popular internet urban legend, it's different. For example, no matter what language you speak, you'll always be able to understand each other." She explains.
"I could tell. You're American, aren't you?" Akari ponders. "That's right! And don't speak even a little bit of Japanese. But we're conversing just fine aren't we? That's the best part of this place! All the things we thought were impossible can be accomplished!" She declares.
"With all due respect, we lost FOUR of our friends. This place is god-awful and there's nothing more I want to see than all of it burned to the ground." Makoto proclaims. "I share the same sentiments." Akari responds. The woman smirks. "Seriously? All of you barely know each other. Hell, most of you JUST met. You sure you care THAT much?" She asks.
"I don't care. In the short time I got to know them, I knew their flaws but also their strengths. I tell myself I wish I could've done more to save them, make sure they get their time to show OFF those strengths. It doesn't matter now. I'll get out of these place no matter what, with everyone I can save." Makoto exclaims. "Sounding like a real anime protagonist now." Akari says.
"...Regardless, all of you were badly injured and the worst was probably that one kid with the sword. Burns heal, but that other kid was definitely on death's door. I guess the halls are getting more infested with humanoids... We should do something about that." The woman says.
"Instead of being cryptic just spit it out." Makoto says. "Right, well... I'm Lisa Williams, founder of the Halls Exploration and Documentation Society, otherwise known as HEADS. We figure out all the strange anomaly's and yes, even entity's of this place. I promise you there are differences! Just.. a few similarities." Lisa explains.
"You do know whatever you're referencing we won't get, right? You know what, whatever. Point stands that we're prepared to leave this place no matter what. So answer the biggest question. How do we leave?" Akari asks. "Pfft, do you think we'd still be here if we knew? You better start thinking like you're trapped here. Because in reality? You are." Lisa retorts.
Makoto slams her desk. "BULLSHIT! There's no way you don't know how to get out!" Makoto yells. "I fell into the halls when I was 16. I'm 26 now. Do you REALLY think I know anything? We'll help you try, but you're probably stuck for good." Lisa responds.
Makoto looks away to compose himself. "Say, you all survived your little incident. Why don't you join us? I mean, it's not like you had a choice regardless, it's either us or the wall-snatchers!" Lisa proclaims.
"...Can you give us a minute?" Makoto asks. "Sure, please take your time." Lisa responds. Lisa exits the room for a quick second as Makoto and Akari lean on a wall. "You find it suspicious she knew all that about us, don't you?" Akari declares.
"Not only that, but her demeanor is strange. She knows more than she's letting on. She might not be the enemy, but we can't have her find out anything she doesn't need to know." Makoto retorts. "Ah, you're saying we have a mole in the group." Akari says.
"Hmm, it's a hunch but not necessarily. Anyone could have told her anything." Makoto responds. "I think we should take her offer still. I hate to admit it but she's right. If we go out on our own, we'll die no matter what. Use them to make us stronger, if that makes sense." Akari explains.
"Yeah, just for now. I still can't shake the feeling that we're walking into things the human mind can't comprehend." Makoto says. "That's because we ARE. I'm sure we'll be fine. ..Maybe." Akari responds.
Makoto and Akari exit the room. "Lisa. We'll go with you." Makoto says. "Great! I'm glad to be working with you!" Lisa declares. The two shake hands, looking at each other with glares of distrust. "Anyway, you see what pretty big white building to the west of here? That's your first step!" Lisa explains.
Confused but still determined, they immediately go through the slums of the small area and lock eyes with a man before running off. Entering the building they find a small classroom, with Nori, Junpei and Tsunade.
"HOLY SHIT YOU TWO! WHAT THE HELL?!" Tsunade exclaims. Tsunade hugs them both. "You can catch up later! Because today is the day all of you learn what it really means to fight for your life, welcome to your new beginning in life! In these Endless Halls." A man exclaims.
"...Fuck you." Junpei declares.
Chapter 6 end.
YOU ARE READING
Endless Halls
HorrorA group decides to test their haunted highschools most dangerous rumor, only to be rudely awakened by a world akin to hell. The group tries to survive their hellish new condition by any means necessary.
